Driven to Philly
by wallACEwho
Summary: What drove Rory to Jess' doorstep. A prequal to Late Night Musings.


Authors Note: Once again I don't own either Gilmore Girls or Snow Patrol. They both belong to people much wiser than me.

So another Lit fic. I thought about doing Late Night Musings from Rory's perspective before realising that wouldn't work. So I wrote this instead.

For G. My Rory.

Happy Reading.

**Driven to Philly.**

Rory sighed as she dropped her bag on the bed. The campaign trail had been fun but it was good to be home.

"Hey loin-fruit" Lorelai senior called from the kitchen "you finished in there yet."

"I only just got in Mom," Rory called back "give me a minute."

Lorelai appeared in the doorway "I thought living out of hotel rooms would have taught you how to pack and unpack quickly."

Rory smiled "I wanted to savour being back at home for a second."

"Savour later" Lorelai said "we're got an appointment with some of Luke's coffee."

Rory's smile widened "coffee" she cried "I haven't had a decent cup since I've been away."

"Then walk this was daughter of mine."

* * *

A few minutes later the pair were walking though the door of Luke's Diner.

"Oh Lucas" Lorelai called "where are you."

"Just pick a table and sit down" a gruff voice called from the backroom "I'll be out in a minute."

"So Mom" Rory said surveying the diner "which table shall we have today."

Lorelai smiled and pointed to a table in the corner where Kirk was sitting "how about that one."

"But Kirk's sitting there."

"So?"

A few seconds later the two Gilmore's were standing either side of Kirk who was eating a sandwich.

A few minutes after that Kirk was running out of the diner after hastily throwing money on the table.

"Kirk still doesn't have much stamina does he?" Rory said as she sat down.

"Not much. I thought having a girlfriend might have done something but apparently not."

Soon Luke emerged from the stock cupboard and walked over to them.

"Rory" he said happily "when did you get back."

Rory stood up and hugged him "this morning. We decided this had to be one of the first places we came to."

"Well it's good to see you. I read all your stuff you know."

"How was it?"

"It was good, really good. I guess you want some coffee."

Rory nodded "yea please and a burger with everything."

Luke nodded before turning to Lorelai "and you."

"Burger please with extra fries and onion rings. Oh and coffee."

"How many have you had today?"

Lorelai ticked the number off on her fingers "eight. But yours is the best."

Luke sighed "don't blame me when you die an early death."

Lorelai smiled "you're an angel."

"You wouldn't say that if I refused to bring you coffee."

"But you wouldn't"

"How do you know?"

"Cause if you did I'd start talking really loudly in my Louis Armstrong voice."

Luke sighed "two coffees coming up."

Rory smiled. It was good to be home.

As Luke bought the food over Rory looked up at him nervously "I don't suppose you've heard from Jess recently."

Luke looked at Lorelai then shook his head "no. Last I heard he was still living in Philly."

Rory nodded "thanks. I just wondered."

* * *

A few days later Rory looked at the pile of letters and papers on the table. She had begun to apply for jobs a few weeks earlier while she had still been on the campaign but so far no-one had said yes.

"More rejections," Lorelai said watching her daughter from the other side of the table.

Rory nodded "apparently graduating from Yale, being editor of the Yale Daily News and being on the Obama trail isn't enough to get interview."

Lorelai reached across and took Rory's hand "you'll get something. I know you will."

Rory sighed "I guess your right."

Lorelai nodded "I know I am. Now why don't you go and read or something. Sitting here won't help."

Rory smiled "thanks Mom. I'll go do that."

Rory walked into her bedroom and stood in front of her biggest bookshelf. Then closing her eyes she allowed her hands to run over the tomes. It was something she did when she didn't want to know the book she was going to read.

Plucking one off the shelf she shoved it into her back pocket (something she had leaned from Jess) and then went outside. Eventually she ended up at the bridge. Sitting with her legs hanging over the edge she pulled the book out of her pocket and looked to see what she had chosen.

It was Howl.

She sighed. Not only was it Howl but flicking it open she realised it was his Howl. The copy Jess had stolen on his first arrival in Stars Hollow and filled with his observations.

She ran her hands over the notes now. They were faded but still legible as the words that had made her fall in love with him all those years before.

Sighing she began to read the first poem..

**I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by **

**madness, starving hysterical naked, **

**dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn **

**looking for an angry fix, **

**angelheaded hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly **

**connection to the starry dynamo in the machinery of night, **

**who poverty and tatters and hollow-eyed and high sat **

**up smoking in the supernatural darkness of**

**cold-water flats floating across the tops of cities **

**contemplating jazz, **

**who bared their brains to Heaven under the El and **

**saw Mohammedan angels staggering on tenement roofs illuminated, **

**who passed through universities with radiant cool eyes. **

**hallucinating Arkansas and Blake-light tragedy**

**among the scholars of war,**

She closed the book. It said so much about Jess' life in New York. Lying back on the bridge and staring up at the clouds she tried to understand her feelings for the young rebel. She had long ago tried to figure out why she loved him but unlike so many things in her life it didn't matter how many list she made. The answer was still just out of her reach.

* * *

Standing up she headed back into town and walked towards the diner. Pushing open the door she noticed that it was virtually deserted. Seating herself at the counter she picked up the menu. She knew it backwards but she needed something to occupy her hands.

"Hey Rory" Luke said walking over "where's your Mom."

"At the Inn I think" Rory replied "I'm just taking a walk. Taking a break from trying to find a job."

"Any luck?"

Rory shook her head "not yet."

"You'll find something."

"That's what everyone says."

"Cause they know it's true." Luke looked nervous rubbing the same part of the counter several times in a row. "Look Rory there's something I need to tell you."

Rory looked up "what?"

"I've been talking to Jess. Pretty regularly."

"But you said."

He sighed "I know. I just didn't want to say anything with your Mom there. Jess is still a touchy subject."

Rory relaxed "so how is he."

Luke smiled "he's good. Still working at Truncheon."

"Did he ask about me?"

"Yeah. I forwarded him some of your stuff."

"That's good. What did he say about it?"

"He hasn't. But he did ask me to give you this." Luke reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a small square of paper which he passed to her.

Rory unfolded it to find a random sequence of numbers and a street name.

"It's his address" Luke said quietly "he wanted you to have it. You know in case you ever wanted to go see him."

Rory stood up and tucked the paper into her pocked "thanks Luke."

"Anytime."

When she got home Rory swept all the letters to one side of the table and started writing a list.

**Do I love Jess?**

**Yes.**

**Am I_ in_ love with him?**

She thought back over their time together. Yes it had been hard but she had never been happier in her life.

**Yes.**

**Do I want to get back together with him?**

**Not sure.**

**Does he want me to go visit him?**

Having Luke give her his address certainly suggested so.

**Yes.**

**Do I want to visit him?**

Rory rolled the pen between her fingers for a few minutes before jotting down her answer.

**Yes.**

Putting the lid back on her pen she walked into her bedroom and began to pack.

When Lorelai walked into the kitchen the first thing she noticed was the list on the table. Scanning it quickly she called out her daughters name.

"Yeah Mom," Rory called from the bedroom.

Lorelai walked in brandishing the list "what's this?"

Rory turned gripping a bag "it's a list."

"A list about Jess?"

"Yes."

For the first time Lorelai noticed the packing Rory was doing "what are you doing?"

"I'm going to see Jess."

"Are you serious?"

Rory nodded "look I know you and I haven't always seen eye to eye about him but I have to see him. If only to get my head straight."

Lorelai nodded "if you must. Stay safe."

Rory hugged her quickly "thanks Mom."

* * *

Once she got onto the bus station she sat staring at the people around her, her actions finally catching up with her. "What am I doing?" she thought.

_"You're going to see Jess"_

"But I should be trying to find a job"

_"You can do that when you get back."_

"But what if Jess asks why I'm there?"

Suddenly she noticed a small bookstand she smiled and hurried over. Spotting a copy of 'On the Road' she smiled. This would be perfect.

Once she got onto the bus she pulled out her iPod and allowed the music to wash over her as she opened her new purchase.

**Two weeks later like a surplus reprieve  
I found a hair the length of yours on my sleeve  
I wound it round and round my finger so tight  
It turned to purple and a pulse formed inside**

**And I knew the beat 'cause it matched your own beat  
I still remember it from our chest to chest and feet to feet  
The easy silence then was a sweet relief to this hush  
Of ovens, aeroplanes and of distant car horns**

**A fire a fire, you can only take what you can carry  
A pulse your pulse, it's the only thing I can remember  
I break you don't, I was always set to self-destruct though  
The fire the fire, it cracks and barks like primal music**

**I said I knew the beat 'cause it matched your own beat  
It's become my engine my own source of heat  
The sea between us only amplifies the sound waves  
Every hum and echo and crash paints my cave**

**A fire a fire, you can only take what you can carry  
A pulse your pulse, it's the only thing I can remember  
I break you don't, I was always set to self-destruct though  
The fire the fire, it cracks and barks like primal music**

**A fire a fire, you can only take what you can carry  
A pulse your pulse, it's the only thing I can remember  
I break you don't, I was always set to self-destruct though  
The fire the fire, it cracks and barks like primal music**

When she got to Philadelphia she pulled out the piece of paper Luke had given to her and hailing a taxi asked it to take her there.

Once there she stood for several minutes on his doorstep trying to screw up the courage to knock. Eventually she did.

He opened it and did a double take when he saw her. She spent those first few seconds drinking him in. He was wearing a Clash shirt with dark jeans and black converses.

"Hello Jess" she said fiddling nervously with the handle of the canvas bag she was carrying.

"Rory" he breathed "what are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?"

* * *

Please Reivew. It helps me improve.


End file.
